Splash guard for containers



March 20, 1951 E, MURRAY 2,546,040

SPLASH GUARD FOR CONTAINERS Filed July 9, 1948 Elmer E. Murray INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

the cover receiving channels of certain types of containers to enhancetheir use.

The principal object of this invention is to provide improved means forfilling containers, for dispensing the contents thereof, fortransporting the containers, and which may be read ily applied to andremoved from existing conventional closure constructions of containers.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of anattachment constituting a funnel and having improved means for securingthe attachment to the top of conventional containers.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of anattachment as set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein theattachment is provided with means for frictionally gripping the closurerim of conventional containers for detachable engagement therewith.

A further feature of the invention comprehends the provision of anattachment as set forth in the foregoing features including theprovision of an integral pouring spout and a handle struc ture by meansof which the contents of the container may be easily dispensed and thecontainer itself may be rendered more portable and convenient to handleby the user.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of theinvention which will later become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by this device, a preferred embodiment of whichhas been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View, parts being broken away and shownin section, illustrating the construction of the attachment and themanner of applying the same to the closure opening of a conventionalcontainer;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the attachment; and

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the attachment.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanyingdrawings wherein likenumerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, there isindicated in Figure l a container 10 in the form of a can of aconventional and.

known type which is provided with an annular, beaded or inturned rim [2surrounded by an annular groove or channel M, adapted to oooperate withan annularly flanged or beaded can top, all of a conventional design.The purpose of this invention is to provide an attachment which may beeasily applied to or removed from such containers or cans, and for thispurpose there is provided an upstanding, funnel-like body portion it ofsheet metal or any other suitable material, and preferably havingoutwardly and upwardly flaring walls, as shown in Figure 2, the lowerand exterior surface of the member Hi having an annular, downwardlyextending flange or collar l8, in the lower edge of which is provided anannular groove 28 adapted to frictionall'y embrace and receive the beador rim E2 of the top of the can I0. It is further contemplated that themember [8 shall have an annular flange or portion 22 positionedexteriorly of the annular groove 20, which portion Z2 is adapted toextend into and, if desired, may engage, in guiding or frictionalrelation, the side walls of the groove 54 in the can top to augment thefrictional gripping engagement of l2 and 29.

As will thus be seen, the funnel-like member I6 may be pressed upon thetop of the can and by reason of the frictional engagement of the bead E2in the groove 29, and if desired of the portion 22 in the groove it, mayestablish a snug and secure but detachable connection with the can,whereby the funnel is held in position and whereby the can may besupported or handled as a unitary structure.

At any convenient position upon the body 16, a portion thereof is flaredoutwardly to form a pouring spout or lip 24 by means of which thecontents of the can may be discharged, by way of the throat 26 of theattachment, which throat freely communicates with the interior of thecan It, as shown in Figure 1.

At suitable points upon its upper portion, the funnel-like member [6 hasupwardly extending lugs 28, see Figure 2, to which is pivotallyconnected as by rivets or bolts 30, an arcuate bail or handle 32 bymeans of which the accessory may be handled and by means of which thecan, when attached thereto, may likewise be manipulated.

As shown in dotted lines at 34 in Figure 1, this handle may be foldeddown into the interior of the funnel-like member [6 to render the devicemore compact as when the attachment is to be separately stored ortransported or the can is not to be used.

From the foregoing, the manner of constructing and operating the devicewill be readily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications and equivalents will readily occurto those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoingspecification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit theinvention to the exact construction shown and described, but allsuitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling withinthe scope of the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed and described the invention, what is claimed asnew is as follows:

1. An attachment for a container having an upper wall with a concentricgroove and bead for receiving a container closure, comprising; anannular member having an upstanding, enclosing wall, said member havingan upper opening and a lower opening communicating with the interior ofa container, said wall having a channel therein for frictionallyreceiving and gripping, throughout its entire circumference, the bead ofthe container, said wall being upwardly and outwardly flaring toconstitute a funnel, a pouring spout comprising a portion of said wall,lugs on the upper portion of said wall, a handle pivoted to said lugsand foldable into the interior of said can.

2. A handle, funnel and spout attachment for a container of the typehaving an upper wall with a concentric groove and bead for receiving acontainer closure, comprising; an annular member having a channeltherein for frictionally receiving and gripping, throughout its entirecircumference, the bead of the container, a handle pivotally connectedwith said member for supporting said container, an upstanding enclosingwall constituting a funnel and secured to the interior surface of saidannular member, a portion of the upper edge of said wall being upwardlyand outwardly flaring to define a pouring spout.

3. A handle, funnel and spout attachment for a container of the typehaving an upper wall with a concentric groove and bead for receiving acontainer closure, comprising; an annular member having a channeltherein for frictionally receiving and gripping, throughout its entirecircumference, the bead of the container, a handle pivotally connectedwith said member for supporting said container, an upstanding enclosingWall constituting a funnel and secured to the interior surface of saidannular member, a portion of the upper edge of said wall being upwardlyand outwardly flaring to define a pouring spout, said handle beingdirectly pivoted upon said wall and being foldable within said wall.

ELMER E. MURRAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 611,962 Hess Oct. 4, 18982,106,381 Rough Jan. 25, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date247,821 Great Britain Feb. 25, 1926

